Deployable footrest

Abstract

A deployable footrest assembly for a seat is provided. The deployable footrest assembly comprises a footrest movable between a stowed position and a deployed position in which the footrest presents a first surface for an occupant of the seat to rest their feet upon, wherein the footrest is bendable about an upstanding structural support for the seat such that the footrest is bent about the structural support in the stowed position.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A seat assembly comprising:
 a seat; and 
 a deployable footrest assembly comprising:
 a footrest movable between a stowed position and a deployed position in which the footrest presents a first surface for feet of an occupant of the seat to rest upon, 
 wherein the footrest is bendable about an upstanding structural support for the seat such that the footrest is bent about the structural support in the stowed position, wherein the footrest has a proximal end closest to the seat when in the deployed position and a distal end furthest from the seat when in the deployed position, and wherein the footrest configured to rotate between the stowed and deployed positions such that the proximal end of the footrest moves to a position lower than the distal end of the footrest when in the stowed position. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the footrest is movable such that the first surface of the footrest faces the structural support when in the stowed position. 
     
     
       3. The seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the footrest assembly further comprises a support mechanism connected to the footrest and attachable to a seat assembly comprising the seat and structural support. 
     
     
       4. The seat assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the support mechanism comprises an arm, a first end of the arm being rotatably connectable to the seat assembly and a second end of the arm being rotatably connected to the footrest. 
     
     
       5. The seat assembly of  claim 4 , wherein rotation of the footrest relative to the arm is limited by respective abutment surfaces on the footrest and arm that engage when the footrest is in the deployed position. 
     
     
       6. The seat assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the support mechanism comprises a linkage configured such that rotation of the arm relative to the seat assembly causes the footrest to rotate relative to the arm. 
     
     
       7. The seat assembly of any of  claim 4 , wherein the support mechanism comprises a first actuator configured to rotate the arm relative to the seat assembly. 
     
     
       8. The seat assembly of any of  claim 7 , wherein the support mechanism comprises a second actuator configured to rotate the footrest relative to the arm, wherein the deployable footrest assembly further comprises a controller configured to selectively actuate the first actuator and the second actuator, wherein the controller is further configured to actuate the first and second actuators when moving the footrest between the stowed and deployed positions, and wherein the first and second actuators are actuated concurrently for at least a portion of their travel. 
     
     
       9. The seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the footrest has a midline extending from a proximal end of the footrest closest to the seat when in the deployed position to a distal end furthest from the seat when in the deployed position and the footrest bends about one or more bending axes substantially parallel to or coincident with the midline. 
     
     
       10. The seat assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the footrest bends about a plurality of bending axes so as to form a curve when bent, and wherein the footrest bends about the bending axes as the footrest moves between the deployed and stowed positions. 
     
     
       11. The seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the footrest is configured to be substantially flat in the deployed position. 
     
     
       12. The seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the footrest is configured so as not to be bendable past the deployed position. 
     
     
       13. The seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the footrest unfurls to a flat configuration by virtue of gravity. 
     
     
       14. The seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the deployable footrest assembly comprises a mechanism configured to move the footrest into a bent configuration, and wherein the mechanism is activated by movement of the footrest into the stowed position. 
     
     
       15. The seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface is padded, and wherein the footrest comprises a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface not being padded. 
     
     
       16. The seat assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the seat is a vehicle seat. 
     
     
       17. A seat assembly comprising:
 a seat; and 
 a deployable footrest assembly comprising:
 a footrest movable between a stowed position and a deployed position in which the footrest presents a first surface for feet of an occupant of the seat to rest upon, wherein the footrest is bendable about an upstanding structural support for the seat such that the footrest is bent about the structural support in the stowed position, and wherein the footrest is movable such that the first surface of the footrest faces the structural support when in the stowed position. 
 
 
     
     
       18. A seat assembly comprising:
 a seat; and 
 a deployable footrest assembly comprising:
 a footrest movable between a stowed position and a deployed position in which the footrest presents a first surface for feet of an occupant of the seat to rest upon, wherein the footrest is bendable about an upstanding structural support for the seat such that the footrest is bent about the structural support in the stowed position; 
 a support mechanism connected to the footrest and attachable to a seat assembly comprising the seat and structural support, wherein the support mechanism comprises an arm, a first end of the arm being rotatably connectable to the seat assembly and a second end of the arm being rotatably connected to the footrest, and wherein the support mechanism comprises a first actuator configured to rotate the arm relative to the seat assembly and a second actuator configured to rotate the footrest relative to the arm; and 
 a controller configured to selectively actuate the first actuator and the second actuator, wherein the controller is further configured to actuate the first and second actuators when moving the footrest between the stowed and deployed positions, and wherein the first and second actuators are actuated concurrently for at least a portion of their travel.